He saw his Rivals languish for that Bliss， those Charms，those Raptures and extatick Transports， which he engrossedalone. But now some eighteen Months （some Ages in aLover’s Kalendar） winged with Delights， and fair Belvira nowgrown fit for riper Joys， knows hardly how she can deny herpressing Lover， and herself， to crown their Vows， and joyntheir Hands as well as Hearts. All this while the young Gallantwash’d himself clean of that shining Dirt， his Gold； he fanciedlittle of Heaven dwelt in his yellow Angels， but let them flyaway， as it were on their own golden Wings； he only valuedthe smiling Babies in Belvira’s Eyes. His Generosity wasboundless， as his Love， for no Man ever truly loved， that wasnot generous. He thought his Estate， like his Passion， was asort of a Pontick Ocean， it could never know an Ebb； But nowhe found it could be fathom’d， and that the Tide was turning，therefore he sollicits with more impatience the consummationof their Joys， that both might go like Martyrs from their Flamesimmediately to Heaven； and now at last it was agreed betweenthem， that they should both be one， but not without someReluctancy on the Female side； for ‘tis the Humour of our Sex，to deny most eagerly those Grants to Lovers， for which mosttenderly we sigh， so contradictory are we to our selves， as ifthe Deity had made us with a seeming Reluctancy to his ownDesigns； placing as much Discords in our Minds， as there isHarmony in our Faces. We are a sort of aiery Clouds， whoseLightning flash out one way， and the Thunder another. OurWords and Thoughts can ne’er agree. So this young charmingLady thought her Desires could live in their own longings， likeMisers wealth-devouring Eyes； and e’er she consented to herLover， prepared him first with speaking Looks， and then with afore-running Sigh， applyed to the dear Charmer thus： ‘Frankwit，I am afraid to venture the Matrimonial Bondage， it may makeyou think your self too much confined， in being only free toone.’ ‘Ah！ my dear Belvira，’ he replied， ‘that one， like Manna，has the Taste of all， why should I be displeased to be confinedto Paradice， when it was the Curse of our Forefathers to be setat large， tho’ they had the whole World to roam in： You have，my love， ubiquitary Charms， and you are all in all， in everyPart.’ ‘Ay， but，’ reply’d Belvira， ‘we are all like Perfumes， andtoo continual Smelling makes us seem to have lost our Sweets，I’ll be judged by my Cousin Celesia here， if it be not better tolive still in mutual Love， without the last Enjoyment.’ （I hadforgot to tell my Reader that Celesia was an Heiress， the onlyChild of a rich Turkey Merchant， who， when he dyed， left herFifty thousand Pound in Money， and some Estate in Land； but，poor Creature， she was Blind to all these Riches， having beenborn without the use of Sight， though in all other Respectscharming to a wonder.） ‘Indeed，’ says Celesia， （for she sawclearly in her Mind） ‘I admire you should ask my Judgmentin such a Case， where I have never had the least Experience；but I believe it is but a sickly Soul which cannot nourish itsOffspring of Desires without preying upon the Body.’ ‘Believeme，’ reply’d Frankwit， ‘I bewail your want of Sight， and Icould almost wish you my own Eyes for a Moment， to viewyour charming Cousin， where you would see such Beautiesas are too dazling to be long beheld； and if too daringly yougazed， you would feel the Misfortune of the loss of Sight，much greater than the want of it： And you would acknowledge，that in too presumptuously seeing， you would be blinder then，than now unhappily you are.’
‘Ah！ I must confess，’ reply’d Belvira， ‘my poor， dearCousin is Blind， for I fancy she bears too great an Esteem forFrankwit， and only longs for Sight to look on him.’ ‘Indeed，’
reply’d Celesia， ‘I would be glad to see Frankwit， for I fancyhe’s as dazling， as he but now describ’d his Mistress， and if Ifancy I see him， sure I do see him， for Sight is Fancy， is it not？
or do you feel my Cousin with your Eyes？’ ‘this is indeed， acharming Blindness，’ reply’d Frankwit， ‘and the fancy of yourSight excels the certainty of ours. Strange！ that there shouldbe such Glances even in blindness？ You， fair Maid， require notEyes to conquer， if your Night has such Stars， what Sunshinewould your Day of Sight have， if ever you should see？’ ‘I fearthose Stars you talk of，’ said Belvira， ‘have some Influenceon you， and by the Compass you sail by now， I guess youare steering to my Cousin. She is indeed charming enough tohave been another Offspring of bright Venus， Blind like herBrother Cupid.’ ‘that Cupid，’ reply’d Celesia， ‘I am afraid hasshot me， for methinks I would not have you marry Frankwit，but rather live as you do without the last Enjoyment， formethinks if he were marry’d， he would be more out of Sightthan he already is.’ ‘Ah， Madam，’ return’d Frankwit， ‘Love isno Camelion， it cannot feed on Air alone.’ ‘No but，’ rejoyn’dCelesia， ‘you Lovers that are not Blind like Love it self， haveam’rous Looks to feed on.’ ‘Ah！ believe it，’ said Belvira， ‘’tisbetter， Frankwit， not to lose Paradice by too much Knowledge；Marriage Enjoyments does but wake you from your sweetgolden Dreams： Pleasure is but a Dream， dear Frankwit， but aDream， and to be waken’d.’ ‘Ah！ Dearest， but unkind Belvira，’
answer’d Frankwit， ‘sure there’s no waking from Delight， inbeing lull’d on those soft Breasts of thine.’ ‘Alas！ （reply’dthe Bride to be） it is that very lulling wakes you； Womenenjoy’d， are like Romances read， or Raree-shows once seen，meer Tricks of the slight of Hand， which， when found out， youonly wonder at your selves for wondering so before at them.
‘tis Expectation endears the Blessing； Heaven would not beHeaven， could we tell what ‘tis. When the Plot’s out you havedone with the Play， and when the last Act’s done， you seethe Curtain drawn with great indifferency.’ ‘O my Belvira’，answered Frankwit， ‘that Expectation were indeed a Monsterwhich Enjoyment could not satisfy： I should take no pleasure，’